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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29388378">Fear of Missing Out</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhosawitall/pseuds/Theonewhosawitall'>Theonewhosawitall</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Doing Things The Wright Way [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anxiety, Coda, F/M, FOMO, Hostage Situations, Navy SEALs who need a break, Trapped, season 3 episode 3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:02:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,285</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29388378</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhosawitall/pseuds/Theonewhosawitall</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas, TC and Juliet are caught in a hostage situation in the immigration offices. Rick has a bad case of FOMO.</p><p>S3 E3</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Juliet Higgins/Orville Wilbur Richard "Rick" Wright</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Doing Things The Wright Way [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2181300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fear of Missing Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey-oh!" Rick cried happily.</p><p>Thomas laughed back, "Hey. We just got out."</p><p>"How'd it go?" Rick asked.</p><p>Never had such a deeply important question with so much weight tied to it been asked so flippantly.</p><p>"How do you think? We nailed it. Guy bought it hook, line and sinker!" Thomas snorted.</p><p>Juliet rolled her eyes, "A smidge overconfident."</p><p>"So, uh, it's over, then?" Rick asked hopefully.</p><p>"I mean, yeah, basically. It's just due diligence because someone over in Immigration saw Higgy's name on two different marriage license applications. But trust me, it's all good?" Thomas shrugged.</p><p>Juliet and TC shared an uneasy look that, if Rick wasn’t on the phone, would have given him all the information that Thomas wasn't.</p><p>"All right, well, this is cause for celebration!" Rick beamed.</p><p>Like he hadn’t already set it up. This party had been planned for weeks. It was Juliet's leaving party before Robin gave her the estate and it became Juliet's welcome home party and then immigration called and it became Juliet's we-hope-you-don't-leave party and now everything seemed over it was Juliet's for- God's-sakes-stop-messing-us-around-like-this party. Whatever happened now, good or bad, they were having their damn party.</p><p>"Yeah. We'll be there in 20."</p><p>Rick drummed his thumbs against his phone as he looked around the bar. There wasn't really enough work to keep him busy. The handful of customers that had made their way back over here were just their regulars. None of them required much in the way of effort. Even Shammy was too busy fixing up the damage Rick had caused to TC's helicopter to hang out. Which is possibly why his mind started checking the time way before the others were due to arrive.</p><p>Twenty minutes passed and Rick had set up everything they could need the moment they walked in. He had chips frying in the kitchen for Juliet - the summon had come early this morning and they had been far too busy preparing their lie for her to eat - that would be ready and hot as soon as they arrived. He had four beers on ice, ready for them and Shammy, who couldn't be much longer. He even had the monthly tab printed and ready to argue with Thomas over.</p><p>And then twenty five minutes later, he was still alone.</p><p>And thirty.</p><p>Thirty five minutes later he called TC just to check in, and hit voicemail. It was inconvenient but not usual. The island had plenty of dead spots.</p><p>Shammy waved as he entered the bar. Rick waved back but he was still trying to get through to TC. "TC, where you at? Buddy, come on, you guys should have been here by now. Call me back."</p><p>"Where's the party? What, they pick another venue?" Shammy asked.</p><p>"Guest of honour isn't here yet," Rick complained, "They said they were on their way, but it shouldn't take this long."</p><p>Shammy shrugged, "Well, Magnum's always late. You should know that by now. Did you call?"</p><p>Rick rolled his eyes, "No. No, I didn't. You know what? That's a great idea, Shammy - of course I called! Called all three, went straight to voice mail."</p><p>Shammy blinked in surprise. Rick was a sarcastic son of a bitch when he wanted to be but this time it sounded like it was masking something. Rick was worried. More so than necessary.</p><p>"Don't get your panties in a twist. They're probably stuck in traffic, probably in a bad cell spot. They'll be here soon. Hey, can I get a-a pre-party beer?" Shammy asked.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. Let me get you going."</p><p>Rick grabbed a beer from the cooler he has set up for the others. His eye fell on the bowl of now cold fries. He chewed his lip as he glanced towards the door again. It wasn’t just his thoughts whizzing away from him, they were late. There had to be a reason and traffic didn't cut it. Not when it made his heart beat like this. It was beating so hard it almost hurt.</p><p>"Rick?"</p><p>Shammy's voice cut through his thoughts like a hot knife through butter. Rick looked over at him. Shammy tilted his empty hand pointedly. Rick straightened his back the moment he remembered the beer he was supposed to be getting.</p><p>"Right, right. Here."</p><p>Shammy settled in at a table close to the bar. He wanted to keep an eye on Rick. The man seemed unsettled. Shammy had seen it in some of the guys who came to the veterans meetings. They usually had underlining anxiety issues through. Shammy wasn’t sure that Rick did. He was usually so easy going and care free. The man went with the flow so readily that he brought a bar without a business plan.</p><p>Although he also kept fidgeting and glancing towards the door. Every time someone walked by he looked up like a meerkat searching for danger. Shammy hummed to himself as he watched Rick buzz past to check the car park yet again.</p><p>"Can you clean that table?"</p><p>"Sure thing."</p><p>He was fussing unnecessarily. The only control he had was over this bar and he was keeping this running as tightly as he could, no matter how few customers they had.</p><p>"Can you maybe stop vibrating? It's super annoying," Shammy said.</p><p>"Look, I'm worried, all right? I-It's been over two hours. Uh, they should have been here by now. I know they're in trouble," Rick insisted.</p><p>"I know you think that," Shammy corrected.</p><p>"No, look, uh, Kumu hasn't heard from them, I can't get a hold of Katsumoto-"</p><p>"I think you're overreacting."</p><p>Rick huffed. He wrapped one arm across his stomach and picked at it with his free hand. He knew he was over reacting, but he couldn’t shift this uncomfortable feeling that danger was looming. It didn’t help when Shammy's face dropped.</p><p>"Wait... You said they went to Lunalilo Center?" He asked.</p><p>"Yeah, but they were leaving last time I talked to them. They're definitely gone by now," Rick said.</p><p>"Uh... Rick. I think they may still be there."</p><p>Shammy held up his phone to show Rick the news bulletin that had just broken through. Hostages at the Lunalilo Center. Of course. They couldn't just have one day, one <em>party</em> that wasn’t prefaced with a life or death situation.</p><p>"Oh no. This is bad, this is very bad!" Rick said.</p><p>"Rick, calm down-" Shammy urged.</p><p>"I can't calm down Shammy! This is insane! My friends <em>our friends</em> are trapped in a terrorist hostage situation and I'm not there to help! Why does this <em>always</em> happen when I'm not there to help?!" Rick cried.</p><p>He was turning in circles now and running a hand through his hair helplessly.</p><p>"Maybe you and I are just lucky," Shammy shrugged.</p><p>"I don't feel lucky," Rick spat.</p><p>"You think I do?" Shammy asked drily.</p><p>When Rick finally looked his way again he gestured pointedly at the wheelchair. Rick chewed his lip. He knew Shammy was trying to make a point but Rick's mind was shirking too far ahead of him to focus on it.</p><p>The situation looked awful and traffic at this time of day was worse, but he couldn't just stay here. Not if they needed help.</p><p>"I’m going down there," he decided.</p><p>"Rick, they've survived worse than this before and there’s a dozen swat vans waiting outside! What can you do that they cant?!" Shammy argued.</p><p>"I dunno Shammy but I gotta try! I was a sniper, I'll do what I do best!" Rick argued back.</p><p>"But I thought Gordon took away Betty?"</p><p>"Then I'll go find a new one. I'm thinking Bianca," He forced a smile as though his heart wasn’t thundering out of control, "can you mind the bar?"</p><p>Shammy swallowed. He wasn’t going to win this argument. He could tell. "If it stop you vibrating where you stand, sure."</p><p>"You’re the best Sham 69!" Rick called.</p><p>"Go bring our friends home!" Shammy called back.</p><p>Rick was already running out of the door before Shammy even opened his mouth. His shoulders sagged as he left. Now there were four of his friends involved in a hostage situation. There was just one thing he didn’t understand.</p><p>"Sham 69?"</p><p>...</p><p>Rick had to park several blocks away but he didn’t let that stop him. He ran through the streets and into the crowd, making good use of his elbows to get to the barrier between the police and the public.</p><p>"Excuse me. Excuse me. I got to talk to Katsumoto-"</p><p>HPD were not about to let Rick climb over the barrier and Rick wasn’t about to let them stop him.</p><p>"You need to stay back," the guard warned.</p><p>"What are you gonna do, arrest me?!" Rick spat.</p><p>He could see Gordon standing on the other side of the swat van, staring down at some kind of map he was using to plan their next steps.</p><p>"Gordon! Come on!" Rick shouted.</p><p>Gordon looked up. Rick threw his arms out helplessly. Gordon pursed his lips. He knew Rick well. He was a lot like Thomas when he wanted to be. If he felt he wasn’t being listened to, or that he was being held back, he would take matters into his own hands. Especially if his friends were in danger.</p><p>That was the last thing they needed right now.</p><p>Besides, he was trained along side TC and Thomas. If anyone knew how they thought, Rick did. They could use that insight to their advantage.</p><p>"Hey, it's okay. Let him through," Gordon called.</p><p>The guard frowned reluctantly. Rick huffed at him as he shoved past. Gun or no gun no one was going to stand between him and his friends.</p><p>"Hey. What's going on? They in there?!" Rick asked urgently.</p><p>Gordon assumed it was a rhetorical question. Why would Rick be here if he didn’t already know they were inside? But Rick's heart was pounding and he needed someone to tell him what was going on.</p><p>"Katsumoto are my friends being held hostage inside that building?!" He demanded loudly.</p><p>"I'm not sure, but I don't think so. Not all of them anyway. I've been in direct contact with Higgins-"</p><p>Relief hit Rick like a tsunami. His knees almost gave out under him. If Juliet had managed to keep herself from being captured then she would be able to keep herself out of their way long enough to bring them down. He was certain that she could look out for them all.</p><p>"She and Magnum are holed up in the higher floors but as you can see the hostages are in the lobby," Gordon said.</p><p>They could see that. Like most hostage situations the innocent lives were being used as a shield against the windows to defend themselves from bullets.</p><p>Rick was confident he could have gotten a bullet between the hostages without hurting them if he just had Betty. He couldn't bring that up though. Not while Gordon was managing an entire fleet of HPD and SWAT. He didn’t want to be removed.</p><p>"Are you familiar with Ray Vaughn?" Gordon asked.</p><p>Rick frowned, "That guy who leaked a bunch of classified information on mass American surveillance? Yeah, sure, why is this him?"</p><p>"No, he's on a covert extraction flight landing in twenty seven minutes. This is his brother, Freddie Vaugh. He thinks Ray's a patriot, not a criminal and wants that plane and the pilots and his brother to head down to another non-extradition country where we can't reach him," Gordon explained.</p><p>"So to prove his brother didn't commit an act of treason he's committing an act of terror?" Rick asked plainly.</p><p>"Something I've learned in my time on the force is that siblings come in two types. They either flip on the other instantly, or they're just as Goddamn stupid as each other," Gordon complained.</p><p>Rick was vibrating again. He kept running the back of his knuckles across the base of his fingers on the opposite hand as he watched Gordon dial the number again. And again. And again.</p><p>"I don't get it, if they're not gonna pick up, why don't they just take it off the hook?" Rick complained.</p><p>"They need that phone to get the call from Ray Vaughn," Gordon said.</p><p>"We got to stop dicking around here. It's time to take the building!" The SWAT leader announced.</p><p>"You didn't give me a plan without innocent casualties!" Gordon barked.</p><p>"Freddie won't answer. Feds won't negotiate. Look, it's not ideal, but the clock's running out!" The SWAT leader argued.</p><p>"No, no, you don't know that!" Rick argued, "My friends are in there, They're gonna fix this!"</p><p>"If that were true, it'd be done by now. Your friends are outmatched," The SWAT Leader huffed.</p><p>Rick scoffed, "You don't know them."</p><p>They could do it. They could get everyone out, unharmed. They had to. And if they couldn't, Rick was out here ready to back them up. If he could talk to them, if there was a line of communication, he could help.</p><p>Rick blinked in surprise when Gordon's phone rang. Part of him was convinced he had willed it to happen. Gordon pressed the phone to his ear but Rick lingered close enough to hear what was being said at each end. He listened keenly for Juliet's voice just in case.</p><p>"All right? Who am I talking to?"</p><p>"This is Detective Gordon Katsumoto."</p><p>"And?"</p><p>"I'm on your side, Freddie. I want to help you."</p><p>"I doubt that."</p><p>Rick scoffed. Of course Gordon wasn’t going to help him. What did he expect?! He was holding their friends hostage!</p><p>"Look, I know what you want, and the CIA won't negotiate. But those people in there, they're innocent. I don't want anyone to get hurt. Not even you. So how do we solve this?"</p><p>"You listen to me. My brother, Ray... He loved this country. And that's why he did what he did. And now the Feds want to put him in a cage to rot? I'm not letting that happen."</p><p>"I get it. And as long as the hostages are alive and unharmed, you still have leverage. But once someone gets hurt, all bets are off. Look, you got to know, when it all came out, I was on your brother's side. I think he is a patriot-"</p><p>"I don't care what you think, Detective! You want to help me out? You convince them to let Ray go. And do it in the next 14 minutes, 'cause that's when he lands in Oahu. If you fail, the hostages are gonna die."</p><p>Rick's stomach clenched. All he wanted was to snatch that stupid phone out of Gordons hand and tell the idiot at the other end that he was outside and ready to tear him apart if he laid <em>one finger</em> on Juliet. If he hurt either TC or Thomas, Rick wouldn't be alone in his attack either. But Ray hung up before he could do anything.</p><p>"Can't wait anymore. Plane lands in one minute. Time's up. You got to make the damn call," the SWAT leader spat.</p><p>Rick looked at him helplessly. The decision was his and there was absolutely nothing Rick could do to influence that decision. It was beyond his control and he hated it. Gordon's face twisted as he tried to decide if it was worth directly risking all those civilians to arrest a man who had leaked information on a violation of American rights. Rick wasn’t even sure if Ray was a traitor, but Freddie definitely was. That made him dangerous.</p><p>"Alright-" Gordon was cut off by his own phone ringing. "Katsumoto?"</p><p>"The hostages are coming out now."</p><p>Rick's knees almost gave out to hear Juliet's voice, so calm and in control. He never doubted her, but the relief still spilled through him. Especially when TC appeared, frog marching the perps out in front of him.</p><p>That relief vanished when TC ducked back into the building again.</p><p>"What’s going on?" Rick asked urgently.</p><p>"I don't know," Gordon said.</p><p>He didn't wait. Gordon took off at top speed, ready to plunge head first into an unknown situation. Which was what Rick was best at. Rick took two steps before the SWAT leader grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back.</p><p>"Hey - no, Stay!"</p><p>"To hell with that-"</p><p>"STAY!"</p><p>Rick scowled as the guy raced off to join Gordon in the unknown. Rick felt like a dog under orders. He tried to obey. Really he did. But it took about ten seconds for it to be too much and he went dashing after them.</p><p>He had no idea what was going on. He looked around. Everyone everywhere was dressed up in so much bullet proof cladding that it was easy to pick his friends out of the crowd. They were the only ones there exposed. Only they still had guns.</p><p>And Thomas wasn’t with them.</p><p>"Where's Magnum?!" Gordon demanded.</p><p>Juliet's eyes were fixed on the elevator and her hand glued to the very large gun she had acquired.</p><p>"He's in the elevator with Freddie."</p><p>"We need to split up," Gordon decided, "Hey, you take the other elevator."</p><p>"I'll take the stairs," TC stated.</p><p>His grip tightened on the very large gun that <em>he</em> had acquired before Juliet gasped and drew him back.</p><p>"Wait! Wait, look!"</p><p>The tension in the room rose as the numbers decreased and the elevator sank to their level. Rick felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. There was a ding. Juliet tightened her grip, ready to shoot. The doors opened...</p><p>Rick's chest eased as Thomas staggered out, also in full body army, and deeply out of breath.</p><p>"We left some trash upstairs," he said, and pointed up at the ceiling. "One on ten. Two on seven."</p><p>Juliet gave a cocky smirk as he staggered out of the elevator and let the professionals drag Freddie out after him. She said nothing though, and turned to the SWAT team members waiting nearby. She pulled the gun straps off of her and handed them over without protest. Rick ignored the flicker of disappointment in his stomach.</p><p>Juliet looked <em>good</em> with a gun.</p><p>While TC attempted to half heartedly negotiate with the SWAT team to try and keep the gun, Rick weaved through them as quickly as he could.</p><p>"Jules!" He cried as he ducked between Gordon and some cop.</p><p>Juliet looked up in surprise. Her eyes lit up to see Rick heading her way. The surprise grew when he latched onto her arm. He tugged her towards him by her elbow and tried to check her for injuries. His hand moved towards her stomach - that’s where the most dangerous wounds were - but he held it back. If she didn’t want him touching him she could very easily break him arm, and her stomach was already wounded before today.</p><p>"You okay?! You hurt?!" Rick asked urgently.</p><p>Juliet gave a chuckle as she gently pressed her hand against his chest to ease him back. "I'm fine. You weren’t worried were you?"</p><p>Rick swallowed. He forced the best smile he could manage and hoped it would hide the way his heart was still pounding like it had a days work to catch up on.</p><p>"Me, worry?! Just because you were in a plane crash, got shot, had surgery, almost got deported <em>twice</em> and then got held hostage by terrorists? Of course not, not a bit," Rick waved a hand like it was nothing.</p><p>Juliet chuckled again, "Good, neither was I."</p><p>She was smiling. God she had such a gorgeous smile. What the hell would he have done if he had lost her today?</p><p>"I am really glad you're safe. Come here-"</p><p>"Oh!"</p><p>Juliet tensed as Rick yanked her into a hug. He held her so tightly that it betrayed all of his denials. He had been worried. He had been beside himself. And now Juliet knew all about it. She smiled affectionately and softened, so she could hug him back. His heart stopped all over again when he felt her chin nuzzle against his shoulder.</p><p>"I promise you Rick, I'm absolutely fine," she muttered.</p><p>"Yeah... yeah I know... I'm just glad you are," He muttered back.</p><p>She chuckled against his ear and Rick had to let go. If he didn't let his hands fall away now he had no idea what he would do but he knew it would end up messy. Juliet had a boyfriend. She had a Thomas. Rick didn't want to cause a problem with any of that. But when he let her slip out of his arms and she flashed him that smile again, his stomach ached.</p><p>Right up until Gordon stepped into view with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face. "What are you doing here?! You’re supposed to wait for the all clear-"</p><p>"Yeah well I guess I have a bad case of FOMO," Rick shrugged with a smile.</p><p>"You have no tactical gear, no defences, and no idea what you were walking into, you could have gotten yourself killed," Gordon scolded.</p><p>"But I didn’t," Rick shrugged.</p><p>"You’re an idiot," Gordon huffed.</p><p>"Agreed, but I'm a living idiot," Rick smirked.</p><p>He glanced to Juliet with a cocky smirk just in time to see her hide her own smile behind an eye roll. Rick felt better than he had all day.</p><p>"They took my gun," TC pouted as he joined the group.</p><p>"TC!" Rick cried, grinning.</p><p>He threw his arms out wide and stepped forward to hug him. TC grinned as he mirrored the move. Rick was almost squished in his arms, but it was worth it. TC was good at cuddles.</p><p>Rick clapped him on the arm as he stepped back, "Good God am I glad to see you Theodore!"</p><p>TC laughed and shook his head, "what, you worried about little ol' me? C'mon brother, you know I can handle anything."</p><p>Rick grinned back and nodded in agreement. As soon as Thomas was finally released from giving his initial statement to the cops, Rick engulfed him in a hug too.</p><p>"Oh, man. I'm glad you're not dead. You look pretty cool, too. You look like a ninja," Rick grinned.</p><p>"We ID'd the others. They were all hired mercenaries like Brill," Gordon explained.</p><p>"Hey, when did you figure out I was the one in the balaclava and not one of these guys?" Thomas asked TC.</p><p>TC scoffed, "The minute you opened your mouth! I know that voice!"</p><p>"Yeah, that was pretty cool, the whole bait and switch thing. I like that. I knew you'd get out of there," Rick grinned proudly.</p><p>"No, you didn't, You were scared!" Thomas sneered.</p><p>"I... I was fine!" Rick lied, "Gordy, he was the one, he was acting like a little kid. I had to calm him down and all the SWAT guys-"</p><p>Rick gestured to the SWAT leader as he passed them by and the guy gave him a pointed look. Rick spun on his heels to follow him.</p><p>"You're not gonna give my car a ticket, are you?" Rick asked.</p><p>"I could," he warned.</p><p>"Look, I tell you what, <em>I</em> knew it was all gonna work out," Thomas announced.</p><p>Juliet's eye had been trailing after Rick, but when it fell on their case manager, her heart sank.</p><p>"Wait. Don't be so sure."</p><p>By the time Rick came back in Juliet, TC and Thomas were sharing a group hug. Rick wrinkled his nose. Maybe he did have a case of FOMO after all. He cleared his throat, and TC raised his head. He grinned and held out an arm, so Juliet wriggled over to give him space. Rick's chest tightened, but he stepped into the hug.</p><p>They squished back in together, still laughing at whatever was making them so happy, and it felt nice. Warm. Welcoming. He still wasn't sure what was going on, but at least he didn’t feel so left out anymore.</p><p>"Y’know guys, you're gonna be really late to the party," Rick warned.</p><p>By the way they all reacted it was obvious that they had all forgotten where they were supposed to be. They broke the hug apart and finally made a move towards La Mariana.</p><p>Shammy threw his hands up in the air as he watched them enter. Rick's eyebrows rose. Under Shammy's orders this place had really scrubbed up. The drooping string lights that he kept putting on his to do list and forgetting had been rehung for one thing. For another, bigger, thing, Shammy had set up a table for them with a neat little "reserved" sign dropped on top.</p><p>"Finally! Where you been?! Taking down terrorists doesn't take all day!" Shammy declared.</p><p>There was some laughter and some hugs to greet him - hugging as a greeting was apparently Rick's thing for today. He couldn't help it. His heart would only calm down when he knew his friends were right here in front on him, within touching distance.</p><p>"No social distancing from this guy huh?" Shammy snorted.</p><p>The others snickered along as well, making Rick's cheeks heat up lightly, but Juliet put her hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"I think it's sweet."</p><p>"You do?" Rick blinked.</p><p>"Of course. It's very emotionally invested, and definitely some form of physiological link to reform bonds, like we ever let them break, possibly stemming from an emotionally detached childhood and an overly attached adolescence in the military-"</p><p>"What Higgy means is," TC interrupted pointedly, cutting her off. She got the message and let he hand slip from Rick's shoulders. Rick fought the urge to frown at that. TC finished with, "we love you too Rick."</p><p>"Aw you guys. You’re so condescending," Rick said, affectionately.</p><p>"Can we eat yet? I'm starving!" Shammy complained.</p><p>"Yeah and I want to know full story. What the hell happened today?" Rick asked.</p><p>"Well, as per usual it was magnums fault-"</p><p>Juliet was interrupted by an affronted Thomas who argued in his own defence, even though her eyes were twinkling. She couldn't resist winding him up. Rick pulled Juliet's chair out for her and she thanked him with a tilt of her head. Rick deliberately took the seat beside her. He dragged a bowl of fries across the table to set it well within her reach. That won a verbal thanks. Rick smiled as she left it to TC and Thomas to focus on filling her stomach. She hadn't eaten all day and she was <em>starving.</em></p><p>"He called me an American hero," She snorted when they finally finished.</p><p>"You are an American hero!" Thomas agreed.</p><p>Juliet wrinkled her nose, "I know you think you're being nice but that's honestly very offensive to anyone outside of the US."</p><p>"Hey if you don’t want to be an American hero stop dressing like Kim Possible," Thomas snorted.</p><p>"Who?" Juliet frowned.</p><p>"From the Disney channel?" Thomas tilted his head like he was surprised she didn’t know already.</p><p>"I wasn’t aware that Robin masters telly carried that channel," Juliet chuckled.</p><p>"It doesn't," Rick explained, "We had a cushy VIP hospital room when we were being treated after rescue from the talis, and Tommy annoyed Nuzo so he put on the Disney channel and threw the remotes batteries out of the window."</p><p>"It was a Kim Possible marathon weekend. A long one," TC still looked pained.</p><p>"Ah," Juliet smiled.</p><p>"I still don’t think you can blame me for that-" Thomas began.</p><p>The uproar that came from Rick and TC erupted the instant he opened his mouth. Shammy and Juliet shared a knowing look. They didn’t need to be there to know that it was definitely Thomas's fault, whatever happened.</p><p>"It was a shambles!" TC cried.</p><p>"Shambles. Hey, that could be your new nickname Sham," Rick grinned.</p><p>"Better than Sham 69!" Shammy scoffed.</p><p>"Oh did they make it over here?" Juliet sounded surprised.</p><p>"Who?" Shammy asked.</p><p>"I'll take that as a no," Juliet chuckled.</p><p>"Sham 69 are a British band. They sung- uh..."</p><p>Rick trailed off as he realised that he didn’t actually know any of their songs, even though he knew the name. He looked to Juliet. They were British after all.</p><p>"Well don't look at me! I'm not exactly a punk rock kind of a woman," she said.</p><p>"I dunno, you lied to the American government about why you were staying in the country, got engaged twice but never married, and you live in a big ass mansion. That’s pretty punk rock," Rick winked.</p><p>Juliet rolled her eyes, "Thank you Rick, maybe I should dye my hair pink and start going by Juliet Rotten, what do you think?"</p><p>"Yes you should totally do that," Rick nodded.</p><p>"I'll do it if you do," Juliet winked.</p><p>"Is that a challenge?" Rick asked eagerly, "You think I won't? I tell you what, since you’re an official American now-"</p><p>"I am not!" Juliet choked.</p><p>"I'll go red white and blue for you," Rick grinned.</p><p>"The union flag colours, how appropriate," Juliet smirked back.</p><p>Rick twisted in his seat, ready to keep arguing, but Thomas laid a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into his seat.</p><p>"Just sit down Rick, just sit down," he smirked.</p><p>Juliet gave him a cocky sneer as Rick backed down. He wanted to be annoyed, but he couldn't. He was so glad that she was okay that it was too difficult to be mad. But there was one huge thing standing in his way.</p><p>"I bet Dr. Ethan wouldn't dye his hair for you," Rick said.</p><p>"That's because Ethan is a doctor. A professional career that requires presentablity. He wouldn't wear loud aloha shirts either," Juliet countered.</p><p>"What's wrong with aloha shirts?" Rick frowned.</p><p>"He sounds like quite a guy, shame I haven't met him yet. Is Dr. Ethan coming today?" Shammy asked.</p><p>"Uh, no. I'm seeing him later. He's currently in surgery," Juliet said. She reached for the fries only to find that they had been moved. "Oh, chuck us the chips, would you?"</p><p>"You mean the French Fries?" TC teased.</p><p>"Yeah, if you're gonna be a permanent resident, you got to learn the language. You got to learn it," Rick grinned.</p><p>"You know what? If the bastardization of the Queen's English is a requirement to staying here, then maybe I'll just return home!" Juliet scoffed.</p><p>"Thank God," Thomas snorted.</p><p>Juliet pulled a face at him and his eyes twinkled as he resisted the urge to wink back at her.</p><p>"A toast. To my ex-fiancée," he grinned.</p><p>"Mm, And mine," TC agreed </p><p>"Congratulations, Higgy. You're finally home for good," Thomas declared.</p><p>"Thank you very much. And I didn't have to marry either of you. Cheers!" Juliet beamed.</p><p>"Thank God!" TC laughed.</p><p>Rick hummed under his breath at the sudden throb in his chest. She could have married either of them and she chose not to. Shammy dragged him out of his thoughts.</p><p>"What, no ice cream? Dude, it's got to be à la mode!" He complained.</p><p>Rick smirked, "No ice cream for you, Shammy. You doubted me!"</p><p>Shammy pouted, until the ice cream was brought over and set in front of him. Shammy grinned at Rick as he nodded back.</p><p>"You know, Higgy, in retrospect, I probably should have come up with a better plan," Thomas admitted.</p><p>"Yes, very likely. But, you know what, it doesn't matter. It all worked out in the end. We're all safe and sound. That's what really matters. So... thank you, Thomas. Thank you, TC. Thanks, all. Looks like you're stuck with me!" Juliet raised her beer bottle up across the table. "Cheers."</p><p>The others rallied to clink the necks of their bottles together against hers.</p><p>"Cheers!"</p><p>Juliet bit her lip as she thought of something that would wind them up. "God save the Queen!"</p><p>There was uproar.</p>
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